Automatic can-stopper



(No Model.) I I W. H. THAYER.

AUTOMATIC CAN STOPPER.

No. 356,432. Patented Jan. 18, 1887.

\mh ess s I1 \mq [ur I IIHIIII u ||1| UNETE STATES PATENT Erica.

\VILLIAM THAYER, OF MELROSE, ASSIGNOB TO \VILLIAM MINOT, J RI, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC CAN-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,432, dated January 18, 1887.

Application filed February 20, 1886. Serial No. 192,642. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl, WILLIAM H. THAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gan-Stoppers; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying IO drawings This invention relates to improvements in automatic can-stoppers for volatile or other fluids, and it is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a can provided with my improved automatic canstopper. Fig. 2 represents a top view, and Fig. 3 represents a bottom view, of the improved automatic canstopper. Fig. 4 represents a vertical section on the line A B, shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 representsa vertical section on the line C D, also shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents a modification of the invention.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

In transporting cans containing volatile, in-

0 flam1nable,or other fluids of asimilar nature such as, for instance, naphtha, petroleum, benzine, Sta-or while in the act of filling or emptying cans with or containing such fluids, it is of the greatest importance that the neck 5 of the can should be provided with automatic self-closing means, by which the fluid is prevented from escaping from the can, except when so desired by the person in charge, and that its stopper shall close automatically in case 40 the can is accidentally dropped while in the act of being filled or emptied, so as to prevent the liquid from running out if the can is over; turned; in fact, that it should at all times be automatically sealed, except when the oper- 5 ator presses the valve from its seat while in the act of filling or emptying the can; and for these purposes I provide the can with my improved automatic can-stopper, that is con structed as follows:

or represents a can of any ordinary construction or material and of any suitable size required. To its upper end is soldered-or otherwise secured in an air-tight manner the nozzle 1), preferably provided with an annular flaring flange, b, that is united to the neck of: the can a,such flange being soldered to the neck, as shown, or otherwise attached to the same.

b is an annular valve-seat in the lower end of the nozzle 1), against which is held the valve c, that is provided with upwardly-projecting guide-ribs, 0 c, fitting within the interior portion of the' nozzle b, as shown. I prefer to make longitudinal cut away portions or grooves c c on the exterior portions of said 55 guides c c, to serve as air inlets and outlets when the valve 0 is open during the emptying and filling of the can.

Projecting centrally and upwardly from the valve 0 is the projection 0 that is preferably made of a conical shape, with ribs on its outside, as shown, to enable thelower end of a funnel to be placed over it and depressed while the can is being filled. By having the projection 0 made tapering various sizes of funnels 7 may be used in filling the can.

The valve 0 is automatically held against its valve-seat I) by means of the coiled spring cl that surrounds the rod or bare between its upper head, 6', and the lower end of the rodguide f, as shown, the latter having in its lower end a perforation corresponding in sh ape and size to the form of the guiderod e, by which arrangement the latter is properly guided in its lower end. The rod 6 may be of any suitable crosssection, it being only desirable that it shall be of such shape as not to turn around its axis when the valveis moving from or to its seat. The upper end of the head 6 of the rod 0 terminates as a tapering 9c flat projection, c, resting in a correspondingly-shaped recess, 0, in the lower portion of the valve projection 0 so as to prevent the valve from turning around its axis while being moved from and to its seat. The rod-guide f 5 is preferably made forked, as shown, and is provided in its upper ends with outwardlyprojecting lugsff, adapted to be secured to the flange b by means of ribs b b cast in one piece with said flange on its inner side, and ice forming the lower portions of grooves on the interior of said flange, into which the lugs f f are sprung and prevented from getting acci- .dentally detached by means of stop projec' tionsb b at the ends of the ribs 1) b, as shown in Fig. 8. I wish to state that I do not confine myself to this precise manner of securing the rod-guide fto the flange b or nozzle 1), as it may be cast in one piece with it. or otherwise secured, preferably in adetachable manner, as may be desired.

In Fig. 6, h represents a pin secured to one of the guide-ribs c, and projecting through a slotted perforation, b, in the side of the nozzle b, by means of which the operator can depress the valve 0 against the influence of its spring d without the need of pressing on the valve projection 0 while in the act of filling the can, if so desired.

In filling the can, the lower end of a funnel is placed over the upper end of the tapering valve projection 0 and the latter is pressed downward against the influence of the spring (1 until the lower side of the valve 0 is brought to rest against the stop projectionsff" on the rod-guidef. The liquid is now poured into the funnel and allowed to fiow downward past the now open valve 0 in one or more streams, while at the same time the displaced air-within the can a is permitted to freely escape past the valve upward through one or more of the cutaway grooves e c on the valve-guides c c, and thus insure an even and uninterrupted flow of the liquid.

As soon as the downward pressure on the valve projection or valve is removed the valve L will be caused to close automatically onto its seat by the influence of the spring d, as above described.

In emptying the can, it is reversed and the valve projection 0 pressed in ward, causing the valve 0 to leave its seat against the influence of spring (Z, allowing the liquid to flow from the can and the air to enter through passages c" c". In so doing the projection 0 may be depressed by any suitable means, directly by the operators finger, or by taking hold of the releasing-pin h, as shown in Fig. 6, or in any other suitable manner; but when it is desired to empty the contents of the can, in whole or part, into a tank, for instance, on an oil or naphtha stove, I prefer to provide the inlet to such tank with a stationary projection, against which the valveprojection c" ispressed when the can is inverted, and thus cause the valve 0 to be opened without any outside manipulation of it.

It will be noticed that the upper end of the nozzle b projects somewhat beyond the upper end of the valve projection a, so as to serve as a guard for the latter, and to prevent the valve from being opened if the end of the said nozzle should come in contact with external objects. By this device the can is at all times sealed, except when manipulated for the purpose of filling or emptying it, and the valve will close automatically as soon'as the pressure on the valveis released, and alsoit" the can should he accidentally dropped on the floor and overturned while in the act of usirg it, thus preventing all leakage or accidents of whatever nature.

Having thus fully described thenature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and claim- 1. In an automatic can-stopper, the nozzle 1), having valve-seat b" in its lower end, and the spring-actuated valve 0, having central projection 0 and "rooved uide-ribs 0'0 combined with the guide-rod c, the rodguide f, and \spring d, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic can-stopper, the nozzle I), having valve-seat b in its lower end, the valve 0, having centering recess on its under side for receiving the upper end of the valve-rod c, the forked rod-guide f, having lower perforated end, through which the guide-rod passes, and spring (2, for forcing the valve against its seat, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a can stopper, the nozzle b, having the valveseat b, the springpressed valve 0, combined with the forked rod'guide f, provided with the valve-stopsff, and guide-rod c,for limiting the downward motion of said valve 0, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. THAYER.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN,

HENRY OHADBOURN. 

